Owen Dippie's downtown murals. Next to Kale Print Cameron Road. Photo/file
Owen Dippie's downtown murals. Next to Kale Print Cameron Road. Photo/file
Tauranga's proposed public art policy has come under fire with one critic saying it lacks vision.
The council last Thursday came in for widespread criticism over the draft policy, with Tauranga public policy analyst Peter McKinlay saying it was not a public art policy.
Mr McKinlay was one of 10people who spoke to their submissions on the policy drafted to answer concerns that decisions on public art were being made on an ad hoc basis.
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He urged the council to defer a decision, saying it looked more like a policy to manage public space than to promote public art.
Mr McKinlay questioned the fundamental issue underpinning the policy that it only applied to artworks on council-owned buildings and open spaces.
Owen Dippie's 27m-high recreation of the Birth of Venus being composed on Harrington House, not far from completion. Photo/John Borren
He highlighted the huge new Owen Dipplie mural on the side of Harrington House, saying that despite its impact on the environment it did not qualify as public art, while the smaller, less visible mural on the side of the Elizabeth St carpark building was public art.
Mr McKinlay used the wording of public art policies for Wellington, Auckland, New Plymouth, Nelson and Napier to underline the shortcomings of Tauranga's policy.
